The Pennsylvania Resources Council will present its 2015 Environmental Leadership awards to five worthy organizations and individuals at its annual Awards Celebration on Thursday evening, November 12 at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia. 

The five awardees are:

-- Independence Blue Cross - Leadership in Environmental Health (Philadelphia).  IBX is being honored for its sponsorship of the City of Philadelphia’s bike-sharing program, Indego, which provides a new, affordable, and healthy form of public transportation to residents, commuters, and visitors.  In its first year of operation, Indego has 700 bikes available for short-term rental at 70 stations located throughout the city, with plans for expansion in 2016.  

-- The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Leadership in Sustainability (Pittsburgh).  Phipps is being honored for its design and creation of the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL), a facility that houses groundbreaking sustainability research and has attained the world’s highest sustainable building classifications, including the Living Building Challenge™ and LEED® Platinum. CSL produces all of its own renewable energy, treats and reuses all water captured on site, and demonstrates the benefits of humanity living in harmony with nature. 

-- Stephen Mostardi of Mostardi Nursery - Leadership in Community Service (Delaware County).  Steve Mostardi of Mostardi Nursery is being honored for his work in making Newtown Square a beautiful, green, sustainable community.  He has worked with the Environmental Advisory Board to bring huge hanging flowering planters to West Chester Pike, and has encouraged American in Bloom for local businesses.  Steve has been a true champion for PRC by hosting, sponsoring and promoting the PRC Newtown Square Farmers’ Market for the past 4 years. 

-- KIPP Philadelphia Schools - Leadership in Recycling Education (Philadelphia). KIPP is being honored for its Recycled & Repurposed Art exhibit which featured 50 pieces produced by KIPP high school and elementary school students. KIPP students repurposed and recycled materials, such as paper, cloth, bottle caps and magazine clippings, to create innovative and expressive works of art that were displayed at the Community Art Gallery of The Philadelphia Foundation in the spring and summer.  KIPP Philadelphia Schools is a part of the KIPP, or the Knowledge is Power Program, network open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools.

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA - Leadership in Conservation (Harrisburg).  CBF is being honored for its Buffer Bonus Program which incentivizes and accelerates the planting of buffers.  Through the program, farmers enroll their streamside land in the federal and state Conservation Reserve Easement Program (CREP) and install a forested buffer.  For each acre of forest buffer planted, CBF offers participating farmers a "best management practice voucher" to fund additional on-farm conservation work. 

”PRC’s mission is to lead and promote individual and collective actions to preserve Pennsylvania’s environmental resources for each generation. Our 2015 awardees have advanced PRC’s mission through their innovative and creative programs and leadership,” said PRC Executive Director Bob Jondreau.  “We applaud their efforts and look forward to honoring them on November 12th.”

The awards celebration will feature keynote speaker Joseph Hughes, PhD, Dean of the College of Engineering and founding director of the A.J. Drexel Institute for Energy and the Environment at Drexel University. 

The event kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with a networking reception, silent auction, and wine & beer tasting, followed by the dinner program with Dr. Hughes’ remarks and the presentation of awards to PRC’s 2015 honorees. 

Exquisite locally-sourced, farm fresh cuisine will be provided by 12th Street Catering.  Butterflies! – an indoor tropical garden exhibit – will also be open for guests to tour. 

“We anticipate a great night of connecting with our supporters, congratulating our honorees, and celebrating PRC’s accomplishments over the past year.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit PRC’s Awards Celebration Dinner webpage.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates on PRC activities (bottom of the page).

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